Show-case



- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

JPGONLIN & R. WHITTY. snow CASE.

NO. 557,974. PatentedApr. 7, 1896.

ATTOHNEYJ (No Model.) V 2 Sheets-Sheet2. J. GONLIN 8v R. WHITTY.

SHOWCASE. v

Patented Apr. 7

IIVVEIVTOR? A NORA/E75 ANDREW aniArl/AM.PMOTOMTHQWASHINGTONJL NITED STATES JOHN OONLIN AND ROBERT WHITTY, OF RIPON, WVISCONSIN.

SHOW-GAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,974, dated April 7, 1896.

Application filed December 9, 1895. Serial No. 571,512. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN CONLIN and ROBERT WHITTY, of Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Show-Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved show-case which is simple and durable in construction, more especially designed for exhibiting cigars and like articles, and arranged to permit the shopkeeper to open the case in such a manner as to enable a preferred customer to select and remove the desired goods or to keep the case closed to other customers and open only so that the shopkeeper can take out the goods.

The invention consists principally of a casing provided with a cover hinged to a frame mounted to swing.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement with parts in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a like view of the same with the cover open to the customer. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the improvement, and Fig. 4is a transverse section of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The improved show-case is provided with a casing A, formed with an inclined front A, on which is adapted to rest an open frame B, connected at its lower end by hinges O with the lower end of the front A. On the upper end of the frame B are arranged hinges D, connected with the cover E, having a pane of glass to permit of viewing the contents of the box A from the outside. fiat or arched, as indicated in the drawings.

The goods to be displayed are arranged on shelves F, held within the casing and arranged in step form, as plainly indicated in the drawin gs. The shelves are preferably constructed with two stringers F, supporting bottom boards F and risers F each bottom board and riser being provided with lugs F restingving.

The cover E may be.

against the inner faces of the two stringers, to prevent the bottom boards and risers from shifting laterally.

The stringers F abut at their lower and upper ends on blocks F and F secured in the casing, and said stringers are held in place on the blocks by pivoted catches F", engaging opposite sides of the blocks F and F By this arrangement the shelves F can be readily removed whenever desired to permit of conveniently cleaning the casing when necessary.

In order to impart an upward swinging motion to the cover E, we connect the side bars of said cover E by links G with arms G, extending from a shaft H, journaled in suitable bearings formed in brackets I, secured within the casing A under the shelves F. (See Fig. 4.) On the shaft His secured a beveled gearwheel H, in mesh with a beveled gear-wheel J, secured on the inner end of a shaft .J, journaled in suitable bearings in a bracket I and in the back A of the casing E. On the outer end of the shaft J, which extends a suitable distance beyond the back A is secured a spring-arm J provided near its free end with a lug J adapted to engage one of a series ofnotches formed on a segmental rack K, at- .tached to the back A In order that the frame B and cover E may be opened by the shopkeeper,we pivotally connect the sides of the frame 13 near their upper ends by links L with arms L, secured on a shaft N, journaled in the bracket I. On the shaft N is secured a'gear-wheel N, in mesh with a beveled gear-wheel O, secured on a transversely-extending shaft 0, journaled in the bracket I and in the back A of the eas- On the outer end of the shaft 0 is secured a spring-arm 0 adapted to engage a notched segment K similar to the segment K hereinbefore described.

Now it will be seen that when the several parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4: then the arm J 2 is in a lowermost position on the segmental rack K and the cover E is in a closed position. Now when it is desired to swing the said cover E upward into an open position then the operator turns the arm J 2 upwardly, so that a turning motion is given to the shaft J, which, by means of the gear-wheels J and H, rotates the shaft H, so that the arms Gr held on said shaft swing upward and by means of the links G impart an upward swinging motion to the cover E. The latter is thus opened to the customer standing in front of the show-case to permit him to select and remove the desired article displayed on the shelves 1*. hen this has been done, the shopkeeper turns the arm J 2 downward, back to the former position, so that the cover E swings into a closed position.

When the shopkeeper desires to remove the displayed articles from the casing and without desiring the customer to handle the goods while in the casing, the shopkeeper turns the other arm 0 in an upward direction to cause the shaft 0 to turn. The motion of this shaft is transmitted by the gear-wheels O and N to the shaft N, which causes the arms L to swing forwardly, so that the links L impart a forward swinging motion to the frame B, which latter turns on the hinges O and carries along the cover E. Thus the casing is still closed to the customer in front, but is open to the shopkeeper to permit him to remove the goods desired by the customer. WVhen this has been done, the shopkeeper swings the arm 0 downward back to its former position to cause the frame B to swing back to place and at the same time close the cover E.

It is understood that the 'arm J 2 when in its lowermost position is free to swing a suitable distance before striking the notches in the segment K, so that when the frame B is swung outward, as previously described, and the cover E moves along with the frame, then the motion given to the links Gr, arms G, shafts II and J, and their gear-wheels II and J is not interfered with, as the arm J 2 is in an unlocked position.

The interior of the casing A is lined with zinc and is adapted to receive a sponge or other moistening device in case cigars or tobacco are displayed on the shelves. By having the notched segments K and K-we are enabled to hold either the frame B or the cover E in any desired angular position.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A show-case comprising a casin g having an inclined front, a frame adapted to be seated on said front and hinged to the lower end thereof, a cover hinged to the upper end of said frame and adapted to be seated thereon, and mechanisms for imparting swinging motions to said frame and said cover, to open the casing, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a show-case, the combination of a casing, a frame hinged 011 said casing, a cover hinged to said frame, and mechanism for independently swinging the cover and frame, substantially as described.

3. In a show-case, the combination with a casing, of a frame hinged thereto, a cover hinged to the frame, and means for moving the frame to swing with the cover and for independently moving the cover, substantially as described.

4. In a show-case, the combination with a casing, of a frame hinged to the casing, a cover hinged on the frame, mechanism for independently moving the cover and the frame, arms respectively operating said mech anism, and ratchet-plates by which the arms may be held, substantially as described.

5. In a show-case, the combination with a casing, of a frame hinged thereon, a cover hinged to the frame, two shafts, a link connection between each shaft and the respective cover and frame, a second shaft geared with each of the first shafts, an arm carried by each of the second shafts, and a ratchetplate for each arm, substantially as described.

6. In a show-case, the combination with a casing, of a cover hinged thereon, a shaft, a link connection between the shaft and the cover, a second shaft geared with the first, an arm carried by the second shaft, and a ratchet-plate with which the arm co ")peratcs, substantially as described.

JOHN CONLIN. ROBERT WHITTY. Vitnesses:

EDWIN WILsoN, RICHARD DART. 

